Our good friends Em & Jay let us know about the newly opened Green Point Park which is right next to the stadium. Well, “right next to” took us a little while to find, but we did get there. It is a really stunning open space with a wonderful family vibe about it.

I can remember making sure to avoid stepping on the cracks between tiles and paving stones as a child, and I have often wondered why we do it, and today was the first time I saw Grace avoiding those cracks. There is a bridge over some water – the “Stepping Stone bridge” – and when we walked over it Grace made sure she stepped over all the cracks.

Donné & Grace about to cross the bridge

I also managed to get some photos of a crab spider which had caught a fly (in our garden). I think the smaller spider on her back is a male. With the plague of flies we have had this summer it is good to see all the animals helping.

Bad day to be a fly

Results are in from the first night in panties and….all went well.

Grace had so much fun playing with a bag of potatoes today. She would take them out, throw them across the room, laugh, collect, repeat. Here is a tiny bit I managed to capture on video.

At the hair salon

Today we had our monthly get together at Kim’s house, which as always, I really enjoyed.  It is lovely to just hangout with people you feel comfortable with, chat, eat yummy food and  Grace gets a chance to play with the boys.

Jack requested to see the helicopter scene from “Happy Feet” so Grace, Caleb and Jack watched the scene and some, while us ladies drank our tea.  They all sat quietly with that familiar spaced out look, staring at the screen. While we all agreed that the DVD makes for the perfect nanny, I think we all found it a little disturbing how spaced out they all looked, as evidenced by the photo.

Both Duncan and I have been rather anti- television and as a result Grace watched basically no TV (which includes, no educational programmes / DVD’s etc.) in the first 15 months of her life.  We have relaxed a little in the last couple of months, but she still doesn’t watch more than 30 minutes a day and not everyday.  Look don’t get me wrong, I think it is a wonderful “nanny” and gives me the time to do things quickly and effortlessly, and there are definite times that I would love to sit her in front of the TV for a few hours to have some me time, but I actually can’t bring myself to do that.  So instead we build puzzles, read books, have tea parties, ride our scooter and just have fun.

I love that Grace at 21 months is potty trained

I love that I don’t have to change nappies

I love that I don’t have to wash / buy nappies

I love being able to buy her cute panties

What I didn’t realise when we decided to potty train Grace at 19 months is that any form of pants (whether they be jeans, leggings etc) for 2 year olds are still designed with nappies in mind. Okay granted the 24 month old clothes are still a little big for Grace, but with no nappy on, they just don’t fit her around the waist making her look like a “baggy-pant hooligan.”   As a result we have to roll the top of her pants over so they “fit” a little better.

Neat Butt

I have been fortunate – no, blessed is the right word – to work with really amazing people through my journey as a small business. I was thinking about it today after our car would not start yesterday.

Grace has never really shown much interest in her soft toys, until recently that is, now Scrumpy Bear (she calls Te-dee) and Monkey (a newly acquired friend) have to go everywhere. Her other dolls and soft toys get attention too, but Te-dee and Monkey seem to have tied for first place (well this week, anyway).

Te-dee and Monkey have the privilege of, getting cuddles, driving in the car and going out shopping, riding on a bike, rocking horse and in a pram, dancing to various songs, getting thrown down the stairs as well as in the sand, and if Grace had her way taking a bath with her.  Monkey was eventually spared participation in the bath and allowed to be a spectator on the side.    Of all the fun activities that they get to participate in I think the most precious is at bedtime.  After Duncan has said goodnight to her she grabs Monkey with her one arm and Te-dee with other and drifts off to sleep hugging them.

Te-dee and Monkey get a hug

Monkey goes for a ride

I remember (pre-Grace) talking to parents of young children and quite a few of them having clear plans for the children’s school path – this preschool feeds into that primary school which in turn feeds into the best high school (and all the waiting lists involved). I don’t think I’ve been very good at having that long term view through my life (although I’ve been working on it this year) so I always found it a bit strange, partly just because life changes, people move, and having a super clear path that far ahead seemed to put you in one place for a long time.

My perspective has changed a bit, mainly just because I have realised how fast time can pass when you are busy with a child. It is not so much that life flits by, but more that sense that if we don’t prepare in advance it will catch up with us quickly. The flow of time is very different with a child around.

We don’t have it figured out yet. We have considered Montessori schools, but need to find out a bit more (i.e. visit an open day). I want Grace to be empowered by her schooling – empowered to think about the world with an open mind, and eventually to become someone who can affect change in the world around her.

Grace is doing much better in herself today. She seems to be feeling better now that the antibiotic course is complete. Her tummy is more normal, and her whole demeanour was much better today. She should be back to 100% through the course of this week.

Seeing your daughter fall out of a swing is terrible and gut wrenching. We went for a swing this morning and everything was going well until I did something stupid and sung a song which involved clapping hands and kicking feet. Grace clapped her hands, leant forward and kicked her feet, and fell straight out of the swing and onto her face (onto ground, not concrete). Fortunately other than what I suspect was a bad headache and a small mark on her head where she fell she does not seem to have sustained any major injuries. We were worried that we might need to take her to the doctor, but she got a bit more energy as the day went on. We will keep an eye on her and see how she is doing tomorrow.

I can remember as a child hiding in the cupboard, part of me was hiding because I wanted to hide and not be found, but mostly I was hiding, hoping someone would wonder where I was and come and look for me.

Today Grace discovered the joy of hiding in Duncan’s cupboard.  She sat in the dark, both cupboard doors closed waiting for Duncan and I to look for her and find her.  I sometimes I wonder how long she would sit quietly for, if you left her and didn’t go and look for her.  Probably not that long since the joy is being found after all.  She particularly enjoyed it when Spicey was in the cupboard with her.  Spicey didn’t seem too keen on being in the cupboard but endured it since he is that kind of lovable cat.

The joy of being found

Donné got Grace some new shoes for the upcoming winter (she is currently a size 5) and she had them on for the first time today. They are ankle boots and Grace wasn't quite sure how to negotiate this slightly stiff boot coming up her leg. She ended up walking with stiff straight legs ("unable" to bend her ankle) and looked like a cowboy who's been out riding all day. Unfortunately no video, but certainly lots of laughs for us. She does seem to have settled down in the shoes now.